Changing nature of city centres paying off

PLYMOUTH has seen a drop in the number of empty shops as food and leisure outlets target the city centre.

- WMN REPORTER

The city has been ranked at number 18, out of more than 60, for the least vacant units with the situation predicted to improve even more.

A new report from think tank Centre for Cities looked at the striking divide in the state of the UK's high streets which has resulted in city centre shop vacancy rates being more than twice as high in Newport and Bradford as they are in London and Cambridge.

Plymouth's vacancy rate is 11.4%, and Exeter, at number 11, fares even better at 10.5%.

Steve Hughes, chief executive of Plymouth City Centre Company, said Plymouth's vacancy rate had improved greatly and predicted even more empty units will be filled.

He put the improvement down to an influx of food and leisure businesses and the impact of schemes such as the £18m redevelopment of Old Town Street and New George Street, and the ongoing £30m Armada Way regeneration.

He said: "We have massively reduced the number of empty units in the city centre and our vacancy rate has gone down from 18% a few years ago to 11.4% for the reasons stated in the Centre for Cities report, pivoting from retail to more food and drink and leisure. Out of 63 cities Plymouth is at number 18 and I expect that to improve further with new openings on the way."

Plymouth city centre has recently seen the opening of outlets such as Wingstop, Kurdistan Restaurant and Karak Chaii, with more to come, including Pizza GoGo and Alfu Cafe.

Mr Hughes said: "Successful high streets are pivoting to being food and drink and leisure led, that is what we have been doing.